Turn Left at the Crossroads
by breadtab
Summary: Zuko takes a step back in time to see what would happen if he chose to side with the Avatar instead of Azula.


I stood by Azula's side, poised to strike. The Avatar was outnumbered. He knew it as well as I did-with a frantic look at the ranks of Dai Li, he turned and bent a shell of crystals around himself.

 _Hiding in the middle of a fight? How like an untrained child._ I was reminded of Pohuai Stronghold, when the Avatar had stopped in the middle of the escape to chase frogs. Not exactly the old master of four elements I had been expecting. After all that preparation, how had he escaped me for so long?

Because I was weak. Uncle was wrong about me. If I was really strong, wise, or free, then I wouldn't need Azula's help to capture the Avatar.

I glanced at my sister, wondering when she was going to order the Dai Li to shake the Avatar from his hiding place. Azula stared at the pile of glowing crystals, her eyes narrowing with anticipation. What was she waiting for?

The light of the crystals was glowing brighter than the natural formations around it. Brighter and brighter, revealing the shadow of the Avatar's form-three spots of glowing light appeared. _The Avatar State!_

I stepped back, fighting a cowardly urge to flee. Maybe the Avatar wasn't outnumbered after all.

The crystals shattered with a burst of energy, a familiar pillar of light spearing up into the ceiling of the cavern. The Avatar floated into the air, burning with power. His childish face glared with an implacable expression of rage. The air of the cavern crackled with tension as the moment stretched out, the world holding its breath.

Then lightning leapt from Azula's fingers, and the Avatar was falling.

In the chaos that followed, all I could see was Uncle's face as he bowed his head in sorrow.

* * *

With a gasp, I woke up. I was drenched in sweet, tangled in silk sheets. Tearing the bedclothes away, I sat up, scanning the room. It was empty.

Azula's mocking voice echoed in my ears. _'Sleep well, Zuzu.'_

 _Yeah. Right._

Slowing my breathing, I reached out and flicked a spark at a candle. The flame took hold of the candlewick and flared to life with a cheerful fizzle. Soft light filled the room.

It was my room, just as I had left it three years ago. Once, I knew this room, this palace, well enough to walk around with my eyes closed. Now it seemed distorted-a little smaller than I remembered, but more spacious than I was used to. After the cramped cabins of my ship, the countless Earth Kingdom dwellings crammed with people and animals, the crowded tenements of Ba Sing Se... The palace felt quiet. Lifeless.

It wasn't the palace that had changed, I knew. It was me.

With a huff of frustration, I stood up, absentmindedly swiping the flame from the candle and holding it between my fingers. Walking into the wardrobe, I shuffled through the fine robes until I found a simple red cloak, as free of decorations as possible, and threw it around my shoulders. I needed some fresh air.

* * *

Sneaking out of the palace was laughably easy. With dawn still hours away, the guards were almost dozing where they stood. This was Caldera City, after all, the safest place in the world. Which was why, after only a little hesitation, I had left my Dao swords behind.

Sitting down on dry sand behind the tide line, I looked out over the dark water. The waves lapped at the shore in a soothing rhythm.

 _Is it wrong to take comfort from the ocean?_ I wondered.

Water was supposed to be an inferior element. I knew better; after all, I had seen the power of the ocean firsthand. After the North Pole, I had been at the mercy of its currents for weeks, with no great metal warship to shelter me from its storms.

The wind picked up a little, ruffling the tips of waves and playing with the loose strands of my hair.

The Avatar had been the last airbender. Now they truly were extinct. And I had been given the credit. I would go down in history as the one who finished what Sozin started. If I was Azula, maybe I would have felt some kind of triumph. Maybe I would have felt something other than the chill of horror that kept creeping up and down my spine.

Maybe he survived.

 _He probably didn't._

Maybe the the Water Tribe girl healed him.

 _Maybe she couldn't._

I shook my head. There was no way to know. And now I had no idea what to do with myself.

The hunt for the Avatar had been my sole purpose for years. Without that pulling me forward, I just... drifted. There had been a chance, maybe, for something else, something new, back in Ba Sing Se...

But that was before I had betrayed Uncle.

Yesterday, I had finally seen Father's face again, heard his voice for the first time in three long years. Father finally welcomed me home.

He wasn't what I remembered either. I remembered Father having a little bit of caring in his eyes, warmth in his voice. Maybe I remembered him being a little more like Uncle. But when he stepped down from the throne, I looked at him and saw Azula.

I wanted to believe that Father had meant it, when he welcomed me. I really wanted to.

 _This doesn't feel like honor._

Alone under the light of the stars, I felt just free enough to wonder... What if I had chosen differently? What if I had fought with the Avatar instead of Azula? Would that have changed anything?

It would have turned out worse. It would have been wrong.

Wouldn't it?

* * *

I looked up and saw that a mist had rolled in. I must have been sitting there for a while. Getting to my feet, I started to head back. Then I realized there was a large shape moving in the water.

It was huge. Bigger than any ship I'd ever seen, more like an island. But moving. Half fascinated, half suspicious, I walked along the shore, watching the island making its slow way northward. Leaving the beach, I climbed up a hill overlooking some cliffs, trying to get to a better vantage point.

Stopping at the top of a cliff, I peered out into the thickening mist. The huge shadowy mass seemed to be getting closer. Now I could make out the outline of trees on top. It really is an island-a moving island!

I stared in wonder. I had never heard of anything like this, in all my travels. You would think there would be legends. It could be a spirit thing, or some kind of trick.

 _I should run_ , I thought. But I didn't. I just watched as the island drifted right up to me and stopped.

A giant head lifted up out of the water, with eyes wider than I was tall. Those ancient eyes looked down at me, and I felt small and insignificant.

The island-creature lifted a huge claw. I froze in place, realizing that I was about to die. It was too late to run, and the creature was too big to fight. I wanted to close my eyes, but I kept them open.

The claw swung toward my head-and then stopped an inch away.

I stared at it cross-eyed, not breathing.

With an earth-shaking chuckle, the creature touched its claw to my forehead. Green light flowed through me, washing everything away.

* * *

I woke up to the smell of fresh-cooked jook.

For a moment, I stared at the white paneled ceiling in confusion. Then I leapt out of bed and looked out the window. The Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se stirred with the sleepy activity of early morning, wisps of smoke rising from the rooftops. There wasn't a scrap of Fire Nation red in sight. No soldiers.

Stumbling back a step, I rubbed my eyes. This couldn't be real.

I dove back into my bed, pulled the blanket over my head, and scrunched my eyes shut. What was happening? I was in Caldera City, not Ba Sing Se!

My stomach grumbled. Groaning in frustration, I threw off the blanket and hastily put on the green Earth Kingdom clothes that I used to wear when I worked in Uncle's tea shop.

 _This is crazy. This has to be some kind of really vivid dream._

I walked around the screen, into the main room of the apartment.

Uncle looked up from the pot of jook he was stirring. "Nephew! I was going to bring you breakfast. How are you feeling?"

I stared at him.

Uncle frowned, looking concerned. "Zuko?"

"What-what day is it?" I asked, my voice feeling hoarse.

"It's Yang-Spiritday, the 19th," said Uncle, setting down the ladle and turning toward me.

"The grand opening for your new tea shop?" I said, still not believing it.

"Yes," said Uncle. "What other day would it be?"

* * *

 **A/N: This fic uses Caelum Blue's calendar for the Avatar-verse. Many fervent thanks to them for making that.**


End file.
